7 Tips and Tricks to Survive the Stress of being an Entrepreneur

Forget all the glamour and larger than life stories of an entrepreneur in the media. Yes, the one with the private jets, yachts, fancy cars and expensive artwork. Yes, that could be the target many are shooting for, but when it all starts, that couldn’t be farther from reality for most of the founders.

It starts with a lot of hard work. Lot of heartburn and sometimes even heartache over lost opportunities. The life of an entrepreneur is an emotional roller coaster. It’s like a very demanding life partner that is always there and asking for more. Periodically you are plagued by self doubt. You are often caught in the trap of comparing yourself to others whenever someone else gets funded, or hits a mega million or billion dollar valuation. You self belief is challenged. You still have well meaning friends and family members asking why don’t you just take up a job? Maybe you even consider that, when things are down. 

You can get stressed and lose sleep. Lose your mental peace even. The big difference between being an employee and being a founder is the uncertainty. You are unsure of getting paid not just at the end of the month, but even by the end of the year. Especially true when you are bootstrapped. There is uncertainty over winning deals, over getting funded, over surviving. Until you achieve product market fit, you can probably see the larger opportunity, but you are unsure whether what you have built will make money.

When all of that gets to be too much or before it gets there, you must have a bag of tricks to deal with such a life, to keep your head above water and to keep yourself from losing it or giving up. Here are some of the things that work for me.

1. Walk, run or..

Getting aerobic exercise is key to getting the heart pumping. When that happens your body also releases endorphins. Endorphins (body’s own morphine) reduce pain and also help combat stress. A long walk or run can help you clear your head and if you exercise for an hour a day, you will fall asleep in a blink when you hit the sack. Good night’s sleep can do wonders for your outlook and spark brilliant ideas.

2. Punch a bag

Yes, actually punch a bag. If you don’t have the space or the interest to get a real one, just fill a cloth bag or a sack with bunch of old clothes and go at it. Buy a pair of punching gloves, if you don’t want bruised knuckles. Get that frustration out over a lost deal, an annoying customer, partner or even a cofounder that is going off. It’s much quicker, cheaper and healthier than alternatives that most people use.

3. Watch a show

Whether you like Narcos, GoT, standup comedy or movies. Watching a show on a streaming platform without ads can be a good way to unwind. I like crime dramas and comedies. Whatever you like, spend 30 mins or an hour. A word of caution, based on my experience - be careful and avoid binge watching. It might be a good escape but can leave you more tired than when you started.

4. Play a game 

Being a dad of 3, this one is easy for me. Just engage in any game with children or adults. Whether its a physical activity, a board game or a video game, engaging in something like this can be relaxing and certainly help take your mind of any issues being faced. After a break you can return refreshed and ready to tackle more.

5. Do the disco, Bollywood dance or just plain move to the rhythm 

Well if you hate disco and don’t like Bollywood music, just dance to anything you like. Not only is it a great way to cut loose and get some exercise, but also dancing to music is known to have multiple physical and mental benefits. Most importantly, if you don’t dance too well (I know I don’t), you realise that you don’t have to have it all and can relax a little. Dance like nobody’s looking.

6. Read a book

Most successful people are voracious readers. Not only can you learn a lot by reading, but it also allows you to relax. Especially before going to bed, reading can be better than watching a show. You can read about tech, ideas, business, events. Reading about topics other than your business can often lead to new ideas and at times even better solutions.

7. Do nothing/space out/day dream/meditate 

The art of doing nothing is underrated. Most entrepreneurs are so caught up in the day to day operations and are always looking forward to achieving milestones. This means that you are always wired and on alert. This can lead to fatigue and more importantly, drop in performance levels. Meditation works great for me. It’s easy to learn and these days there are even apps for that. If you don’t like that, just space out, stare into nothing, day dreams, but be sure to give your mind and body a break from work and worrying.

8. Spend time with loved ones

I know the title says 7, but you can surely use one more.

Last but not the least, there is nothing like spending time with loved ones to give you a sense of what really matters. As entrepreneurs we tend to get full of ourselves and filled with excitement and anxiety about the future we want to create. All the same, what do we do all of this for? What good is changing the world, if you cant enjoy it with the ones you care about. Take a break, spend time with family and friends. Try not to get distracted by the barrage of messages and emails during that time. Turn off the devices or put them in silent mode.

Thank you for reading. Hope you found this useful.

What are some of the tricks you use? Would love to hear from you.

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Image credit: Various creators at https://thenounproject.com/

Kaustubh Patekar - a lifelong student, builder of products, startups and an Aerospace Engineer by training from IIT Bombay and MIT. Co-Founder of Advott, a media and entertainment startup with a vision to eliminate video piracy. I also advise select startups from time to time.